archive

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Three years ago today, the Iraq War started. It took me a week to get around to producing my response. But here it is, to commemorate the day.

_________

AMERCIAN ARROGANCE

When my son was small he asked me and I said, “There are no monsters — there are only people.”So innocent he was he heard in that nothing but a father’s reassurance. But never has there been a time when somewhere darkness did not hold at night those grim foreboding forms, reaching out a fist to knock the moonless knocks of drab and hard-eyed men —or worse, smiling.

The man who’s being hanged,the woman raped and smothered, they cry not outfor us to come and save them.The captive — whose glance darts to catch warning of the next blow —has no thought of crafting careful phrases,no thought but how to keep breathing.And yet there is no heart that holds no place,there is no race of men that does not ache for freedom.

And we know they know that somewhere in this world is a powerthat can, if it should choose, bestir itself from indolence, stretch out its arm and rescue liberty.For such a time as this have we been raised and given power.We must act because we can.